Sixty-seven new South Carolina principals will attend the 20th annual School Leadership Executive Institute-Principal Induction Program July 17 to 21 at Coastal Carolina University.

The program allows first-year principals to develop leadership and presentation skills. The state of South Carolina requires newly-appointed principals to attend the summer institute to prepare for their new jobs.

Each new principal is given the opportunity to bond and learn from experienced principals and experts in the administration field who serve as mentors during the program. Follow-up sessions throughout the year supplement lessons from the summer program and also help first-year principals adjust to their new positions and share their experiences.

At the five-day academy hosted by Coastal's Spadoni College of Education, state and local experts conduct each seminar on topics such as school governance, accountability, finance, professional development, and ethical administration.

Thirty school districts across South Carolina are represented, including Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson 2, Calhoun, Charleston, Chester, Clarendon 3, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon 2, Dorchester 4, Fairfield, Florence 1, Georgetown, Greenville, Greenwood 52, Hampton 1 and 2, and Horry. Other districts are Kershaw, Laurens 55 and 56, Marion, Orangeburg 5, Richland 1, Spartanburg 5, 6 and 7, Union and Williamsburg.

The Principal Induction Program is sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Education's Office of Professional Development in conjunction with Progress Energy.